Independent advice is strengthened by the company’s founder being an active participant in several standards bodies, including ISO C, C++ and IEC 61508-3, and a principal author of MISRA-C:2004, MISRA-C2012.

Skill Set

Phaedrus Systems is run by Chris Hills and has been around in one form or another since the late 1970's. It has both hardware and software skills. Real world hardware experience covers both analogue and digital domains. Software skills include development in various languages on various systems, ranging from large Unix-based comms projects to smart cards. We also have experience in leading technical teams and projects, gained from working on military systems (both air and ground based) at the sharp end and in development, on experimental systems in safety critical industrial control, in maintenance and even for reverse engineering.

This means we understand the development process from the different viewpoints of the development engineer, team or project lead and management and can reconcile the different priorities. Having the right tools is only part of the solution - the process is something we think is also important.

We also understand the pressures on development teams, particularly the smaller ones, which is why we do not run the usual 9-5 service. In fact Phaedrus Systems has even provided technical support on a Sunday before now. We have been there, so we are not going to take your money and run.

Professional Standards

As a Chartered Engineer (also an MIET and an MBCS) our Technical Director firmly believes that whilst design is an art, the whole project should be underpinned by the engineering disciplines of technique, methods and process. Even artists will tell you that when painting they have to learn techniques and methods and, although their work is not safety critical, they too often suffer with incomplete and changing customer specifications.

Phaedrus Systems and Standards

Phaedrus Systems has been a member if the ISO/BSI C and C++ Language Panels since 1999 and was the convener of the C panel from 2000 to 2004. We also sat on the IEC 61508-3 Panel. Additionally Phaedrus Systems has been part of MISRA-C since 1998 and been on the MISRA-C Technical board since its inception. We are also on the Technical Advisory Panel of the IET’s Microelectronics & Embedded Systems Network and a Founfer Member of the IoT Security Foundation Plenary.

Technical Writing, Papers and Books

Phaedrus Systems has been producing technical papers, articles and conference papers since the 1970's. The first technical paper Close is for Horseshoes and Hand Grenades! was on the implementation of BS5750 (the forerunner of ISO9000) for a specialised electronics R&D and production facility: even then the Engineering Process was the key.

Since 2003 Phaedrus Systems has been writing a column for Embedded Systems Engineering magazine on standards and the embedded world in general. We have reviewed over 100 books (originally written for the ACCU) and produced the acclaimed QuEST (Quality Embedded Systems Techniques) series.

Professionalism

If you are working on safety critical or high-integrity embedded systems, then Phaedrus Systems has the technical experience and professional skills to provide you with the right tools for the particular task. And in the unlikely event we do not have the appropriate tool in our carefully selected product range, then we will have no hesitation in guiding you to an alternative source.

The Name

Where does it come from ? click here for the history of the name from Greek time and the Metaphysics of Quality .

Affiliations

Phaedrus Systems staff are individual Fellows or Members of the following